NABARD aid for agri-clinics

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, AUG. 16. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has formulated a scheme for financing agriculture graduates to set up agri-clinics and agri business centres. The scheme, in pursuance of the announcement made by the Union Finance Minister in the budget speech this year, aims at supplementing the existing extension network to accelerate the process of technology transfer to agriculture.

According to Mr. V. Rama Krishna Rao, chief general manager at the NABARD regional office here, banks would be provided cent per cent automatic refinance facility. This would allow the financing banks to apprise the viability of the scheme at their level and seek refinance on an automatic basis up to the prescribed project cost ceiling which was at present Rs. 25 lakhs.

For amounts above the ceiling, the project proposals could be submitted to NABARD directly under the pre-sanction procedure. Mr. Rao said the scheme would be open to graduates in agriculture and allied sciences like horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, dairy, veterinary, poultry farming, aquaculture and related activities.

The related activities could be water and soil quality testing laboratories, pest surveillance, repairs and custom hiring of agriculture implements and machinery, seed processing units, vermiculture units, apiary, veterinary dispensaries and information technology kiosks for access to various agriculture related products, post harvest management centres and retail market outlets for processed agri products.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Talk of the town